Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-02-26
OLD YUMA.
The Career of n Remarkable Man who
 Died with his Boots On.

 The Career of Remarkable Man who
 Died with his Boots On.
 There are many of the pioneer resi- dents of Tucson who we'll remember the eccentric individual whose familiar cog nomen heads this imperfect sketch. He vas a mystery to his friends, a cold stranger to his enemies. but ar open handed philanthropIst to every unfor. tunate mortal in need of the necessities of life. The CITIZEN IS indebted to Mr. Chas. O. Brown. of this city for the fol- lowing sketch of his life, from aa ac- quaintance that dated far back into the early days of the birth of ciyiliz Ition in California.
 Thomas McLain was c graduate of the military school at West Point, and was man Of natural abilities ot a high order, anI possessed force of character that shUull have elevated hIs name to the first ranks Of the nations famous men, had his footsteps been properly di- reotei at the critical period Of his life. At West Point he was known fsmlliarly ss Buffalo Tom.' from hIs characterist- io busky head Of hair 90 suggestive Of tLc appearance of the buffalo.
 The occasion of ais sudden disappear- ,Dc from his eastern home is unknown, but when he appeared in California m lSs9. al trace of him WAS lost by hIs irIeods and sindred. It may be remem- q ..F yers that when the Sitting Bull war was es sginc the attentions of the public, ,n-. question oi the nationality of that 1i..Iu gui-hed Indian warrior was the subject of great dIscu ssion, sad many persons who knew the character, power of Q ill sud adventurous spirit of Thomas McLeio, were sure that they recognized him Iu the descriptions given Of the great warrior. They believed he had asfociated himself with the Sioux, and b-3 become their great chef. Indeed, II was fnr a long time believed that the subject of this sketch was the varlik- Sitting Bull himself
 Thomas McLain first appeared in MsrIpo>a county, California, in lSi9, ard through a chain of circumstance hs found 1t necessary to change his place of abode some years later, and came to ArIZons, where Mir. Chas. O. Brown, who knew him intimately in Cal ifOTnis, recognized him on the streets of Tucson m 1858. He had lived for a time at Fort Yuma, and wben be left that place he assumed the name of Yuma, by which he was known up to the time of bis denth.
 H. owned herd of about five hun dred head of cattle that grazed out ID the Papago country, to the west of Tue son, while he personally carried on a friendly trade with the Apschcs, then at peace with the whites. He would take ont supplies ct calico, beads, smmuni- ton end sucL articles as the Indians coveted, sud met the Apsches on the summit of the PinSl mountains, where be sold his stock. receiving in pay. coin and sold nuEgt ts. as well as furs and hides.
 On one occasion after having gained the confidence ot the Indians. they showed to hima
 MARvELoUsLY RICH GOLD MINE
 near the trading place. from which the l precious metal could be taken in abub- | dance. IL was q blind lead. and -'ter tAAAhNAAAk hAA AnEg NnuAEus AAAE would carefully cover 1t with earth and gravel and brush, SO that no traces O. its existence would be betrayed. They extracted promise from Yuma" no; to divulge its location, nor to show 1t to | spy other white man.
 On his last trading trip. in 1860, hc was accompanied by Gen. Wslker, after wards agent of the Papsgos. They 1 finished trading with the Apaches, ths last item ot goods being ten gallons o uescal. Knowing the danger of drunk en Apaches, the two whites st once lei for Tucson, and on their way they visited the wonderful gold mine. All theil work was necessarily done hurriedly. fol fear of the vengeance of the Apsche' when they should discover that Yum hsd broken his promise. They essill found the mine; scrsped off the loos' earth with tin plates and broke th' sparkling quartz with their hstchets They speedily filled their saddle bsgs